Henry's Web Log

As a mobilized soldier from the Individual Ready Reserve, I’ve read articles focused on the negativity of how our military services are straining under such long-term engagements. So it is refreshing to examine the underlying facts and composition of our current force. The fact is that only 1% of the US population is serving in the military, and only three out of 10 American males 17 to 24 years of age are qualified physically, mentally and morally to be soldiers. General Frederick Kroesen published an article a few months ago citing the specifics of our force makeup, which I’ll summarize as a select crowd of smart, fit and well-trained men and women.

You have heard that the US Army continues to meet and exceed its recruitment goals- only slightly attributable to the down economy, but more driven by the combination of effective results and continued strong patriotism of our citizens. I myself am constantly impressed with the letters we receive from school children, workplaces and church groups telling soldiers how valuable their contributions are! Our nation’s patriotism transcends individual emotions and various negative opinions on the legitimacy of specific conflicts.

Our military track record is good, and that helps: With successes in Bosnia, great results thus far in Iraq, and serious brainpower and resources being applied to Afghanistan, I think the US military is establishing a reputation that we’re not just in it for ourselves, but truly here to help other nations move away from violence and oppression.

I’ve now relocated to Tallil, Iraq, with the Brigade Headquarters. My new job for the next month and a half is to help prepare the way for the next phase of this operation, continuing to advise and assist the Iraqi people while concurrently shrinking US forces. This job will largely be borne by our replacements, the 36th Sustainment Brigade, another National Guard unit out of Ft. Hood, Texas.

Speaking of Texas, my grandmother celebrated her 95th birthday in Abilene, Texas! She is a wonderful woman who has accomplished much, including exhaustive documentation on our family ancestry, publishing two books. Most of her friends and family were there to share in the celebration, including my brother Charles and his wife, Mary Kate . For my part, the 287th Sustainment Brigade was nice enough to fly a U.S. Flag in her honor, with a certificate signed by the Brigade Commander. That’s me under the flag pole: Happy Birthday, Grandmother Mary!

COB Basra is creating a couple of great things for soldiers and Iraq: first, there’s the Basra Bazaar. The intent is to give soldiers access to local vendors and local vendors access to soldiers! The 34th Infantry Division “Red Bull Report” recently highlighted the new Bazaar in Basra.

The second new thing for soldiers is the growing presence of the USO. The USO opened in July with free phones and Internet PCs, and will soon be expanding to become the largest USO in Southwest Asia! The staff and facilities are fantastic, and I’m sure this alone will put Basra on the map of great COBs in Southwest Asia.

But wait, there’s more! Basra’s big PX is scheduled to open later this month. It promises to be the largest square footage PX in Southwest Asia. By adapting one of the old dining facilities into a military exchange, it will offer not just military retail space, but also shops like a frame shop, Barber, calling center, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and a Green Bean coffee shop. So we’ve come a long way, Basra! From the barely trailer-sized British PX to these three new facilities, there are plenty of opportunities to dispose of your income!

Desert Ministry: Here in the sands of Basra, Iraq, several members of the 34th Infantry Division have started a “Men’s Bible Study” – but on steroids. We read the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge, and meet early Sunday morning to share our experiences and journey into our hearts. The theme is that men are genetically different, created differently by God, for a unique purpose. Common to each man’s purpose are three principles: Man wants a Battle to Fight, an Adventure to Live, and a Beauty to Rescue. We explore these principles and dig further: what wounds are we carrying? How perhaps were we denied validation as young men, what vow did we make to overcome that wound, and how has that wound and vow impacted our adult lives? Through sharing our journey, within a bond of confidentiality and the shared circumstances of war, we have built enduring friendships, explored our hearts, and struggled to piece together how this can make us better husbands and fathers. Our leader is Dr. (LTC) Dave Ronan, and he has done this before. In fact, I was pleased to learn that the Band of Brothers book and accompanying video series is very popular in deployed environments: Kosovo, Afghanistan, as well as previous Iraq deployments.

For me, I mentally weave this with an Army training program: Warrior Resiliency and Thriving. This is a mandatory sequence of training for soldiers after they have BOG (boots on the ground) for a few months. It challenges soldiers to look at their circumstances, the war around them, the stress of combat, and being away from their family. Will your deployment merely be spent counting of the days until you return? Or will you take up the cross, the sword, the opportunities before you to return from deployment a better person? Thus, the thriving: given the stress of what we’re doing, can you rise above it? It’s easier for some than others, and many are in such dangerous circumstances that survival alone is all there’s time for. But by challenging our soldiers to thrive, with a healthy level of stress, they return better people, better leaders, and better adjusted to the stress of combat. And isn’t that why we joined the military? To serve our country and be a better person.


Pictured above at Holy Joe's, L to R, are Commander Joe Dodd, LTC Henry Bass, LTC Dave Ronan, CH (1LT) Mike Lotzer, LTC Eric Andringa, MAJ Mike Feeney, and LTC Travis Voels. Not pictured: MAJ Chris Larson, who is enjoying leave this week.

One of the ongoing projects here is a simple concept: spray-apply foam to the various living and meeting tents in Iraq. It makes a huge improvement in comfort by helping retain the air conditioning (or heat in the winter), and carries the added benefit of quieting external noise, like generators, for sleep tents. It hasn't been easy, though: it takes a surprising amount of logistics to get the foam, equipment, training and decent wind conditions all lined up.


The tent here shows the initial application of foam, just last month. Looks like a giant marshmallow! But under the sun, it quickly became a Twinky.


This particular tent has been christened “Holy Joes” – our chaplain uses it for meetings, complete with both hot & cold coffee bar, and a small projection and sound system for inspirational videos or music. More on that in my next post.